Monthly Archives: October 2018

A Vintage Portable Coffee Bar. Why not?

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This all started with a Chalk Couture transfers. I have fallen in love with these! To describe Chalk Couture it’s kind of like screen printing with a washable chalk paste or permanent ink. With proper care, you can use them over and over. And… I have!

I have especially had fun with the “Wicked Chicken” transfer. I have used both the paste and ink.

I used the chalk paste on this one

This one was ink on glass. See my post on baking picture frame glass. I put this glass in a cold oven set for 170 degrees. I timed it for 45 ovens once tempwas reached, then left in oven until completely cooled.

A SharSum Paint Tutorial: Experiment on Baking a Sign Created with Chalk Couture Ink on Picture Frame Glass

This was ink on painters canvas. I heat set this with parchment paper and ironed on medium heat for 3 minutes.

So then, I was ready to try coffee mugs. I tried just one first. After allowing it to air dry for 24 hours (an important step) I put it in a cold over and preheat to 275 degrees. I then timed it, baking for 45 min. I turned off the oven and left it in there until it cooled completely. The next day, I put it through the dishwasher. It came out perfect! Yay!

I used ink on this mug

I was now ready to make some mugs to sell in one of my booths. I purchased dishwasher and oven proof mugs and got to work. First, I thoroughly washed them with soap and water and then cleaned with alcohol. Note: if you mess up, you have time to wash it off and start over. 😉

So cute!!!

But, they seemed kind of lonely so I decided they needed a coffee bar to go with them, but not just any coffee bar. I decided they needed a portable coffee bar that could be used anywhere!

I love repurposing and I just happened to have purchased a vintage metal bread box some time ago. It was the perfect thing! All it needed was some cleaning up and it was ready to be transformed.

The top was the perfect size to hold the four mugs. I also just happened to have four round wooden coasters. I painted them (including the cork) with one coat of the chalk-style paint we sell. Missouri Limestone Paint Company I then distressed them with some sandpaper. I did not seal them. They ended up with a great farmhouse look. I forgot to take a picture, though. You can see them under the mugs in the photos.

I then decided the inside needed a liner. Dollar Tree to the rescue! I happened to see a very cool vinyl placemat that would be perfect! I cut it to size and voila!

But, what’s a coffee bar without the fixings? I included an apothecary jar of ground coffee and a 46 year old vintage sugar and creamer set. How do I know it is 46 years old, you ask? I know because it is what is left from my wedding china and today, October 28, is our 46th anniversary! I sold the rest several years ago. Some people register for their china. In my family, I shopped at Kroger for weeks for my mother so I could collect this china during one of their promotions. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Then, imagine waking up early in the morning, making coffee ☕️ at your new coffee bar and then waiting for that first cup in the early dawn light and looking over and seeing the inside your coffee bar glowing in light that you turned on when making coffee. Yep! I found a small round light at Dollar Tree. The kind with an adhesive back and you press the center to turn it on and off.

The final perfect touch was adding the word “coffee” to the roll top. The Rae Dunn look has become very popular in creating farmhouse decor so I found a font called The Skinny and typed “coffee” in landscape font using Microsoft Word. I enlarged it to fit most of the paper. I printed it with a laser printer on water slide decal paper and cut around the word as close as possible, but leave a small bit of margin. If you’ve never used this as a transfer medium you have to try it. Wow! The transfer comes out perfectly and adheres well. It is amazing! You can clean when needed by wiping with a damp cloth. Here’s a YouTube video I watched when trying this for the first time.

https://youtu.be/ua1-_tKdnhg

Here is my finished vintage portable coffee bar! It is available for purchase at: Midwest Trading Post in Hermann, Missouri.

A SharSum Paint Tutorial: Experiment on Baking a Sign Created with Chalk Couture Ink on Picture Frame Glass

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I have become addicted to Chalk Couture and like to create items to sell. I recently used just the chicken and created a set of mugs using the ink. They are dishwasher safe as I was able to bake them to make the ink permanent. I know this for a fact as I made one for myself first and put it through the dishwasher. Came out perfect!

I then thought it would be really neat to ink on picture frame glass and then have different backgrounds behind the transfers.

Here’s an example of one I did before I tried the experiment. It seemed ok, but I really prefer the durability of it being baked on.

I wasn’t sure picture frame glass would hold up in the oven so I searched high and low on the Internet for info on baking picture frame glass and couldn’t find anything on it.

I decided I would conduct an experiment. I chose to use a low temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 60 minutes.

The results show it worked for me, so I created this tutorial in case others have the same question and couldn’t find an answer.

Disclaimer: I don’t guarantee it will work for you. I am just a crafter, not an expert on baking glass, but in case you want to try it, just know if your picture frame glass blows up in your oven or something, it is not my fault, so don’t come hunting me down. 😁

So, now, here is my tutorial. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/Z5l1x4Yqbhw

Removable Decoupage Drawer Liners

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Did you ever have one of those Aha! moments when you see a video tutorial and think…..I wonder if that would work on……

I had one of those moments today.

Sometimes I like to line the drawers of the furniture I paint as a little extra touch. I just think it is nice for the buyer of my furniture to pull out a drawer and see a pretty coordinated lining on the bottom.

However, I don’t like to decoupage right on the drawers as the new owner may want to remove the liners. So I have tried several different ways with different mediums and materials. Some were time consuming and some messy.

But today – I found a pretty cool process in the following video. The idea is to decoupage a napkin onto card stock to make cards and other projects. And…..the medium? Cheap plastic wrap! The kind you have in your kitchen. The lady in the video even tried it on a wrap around canvas and it worked.

So…..I thought….why not use decoupaged card stock to line my drawers?

Here’s the inspiration video and following that, photos of my drawer liner for a piece of furniture I am painting now. It only has one small drawer about 10 1/2″ square.

Paper Napkin Transfer Tutorial: from Purple Cottage Crafts

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=d1l5hsI5-4w

I thought I would practice. First I tried the foam board I usually use. This is the kind that has a paper covering. 👎 Nope. It kind of bubbled. I think too much heat for the foam.

I didn’t have any card stock but I did have a heavy duty piece of paper that was originally a stock print in a frame I bought so I used the back of it.

I first put down a thin board to protect my work surface. Then I laid down a piece of parchment paper and on top of that, my practice paper – cut a little larger than I needed. I put the plastic wrap on top of the paper and smoothed it out. Then I laid down my napkin (right side up) and put the second sheet of parchment paper over the napkin. With my iron on a medium setting, I ironed about 2 minutes. Sure enough. That plastic wrap melted and bonded the napkin to the paper!! 👍 Who knew!!! I lifted and checked every once in awhile and several times ironed more, but it worked! So smooth! Looks and feels almost like a piece of linen!

My practice piece is no longer practice. I cut it to size and it is now the perfect removable liner for my drawer.

For a larger drawer I will try poster board. I will practice and see if that works. I think it should. I will try tissue paper, too. That would be even quicker than arranging napkins for a larger drawer.

Hmm…I wonder…would it work on a painted book?

You learn something new every day when you take the time to look!

Crocheted Pumpkins

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I have been obsessed crocheting pumpkins this fall. Best of all, I have had some success selling them and getting custom orders. I also have given some as gifts. My eight year old granddaughter texted me on her family text app and ordered (using the word please) one for her teacher and her brother’s. Lol. That means I will need to make one for their cousin’s teacher, too. 😏

My yarn of choice is chenille blanket yarn. It is so soft and produces a beautiful pumpkin. I have also used Bernat brand and recently made a large one with Mainstays chunky (love that and the color!) using a Q hook. I also have used standard size yarn and doubled it.

I have used a variety of items to create stems: drawer knobs, twigs, and sisal rope. I then use fall decor here and there to finish them.

But, the secret to these pumpkins is the pattern I purchased from an Etsy Shop – Simply Made by Erin This pattern was well written. I soon had it memorized. Thank you so much Erin, for such a great pattern!

Here are some photos of the pumpkins I’ve made.

A Vintage Cast Iron Lion’s Head Bench – Made Better Than New

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Danny has had an obsession with refurbishing garden benches. I think he has restored 6 and has 2 others (so far) in his queue.

This is the state the latest one was in before he added his restorative touch.

As you can see the boards on this one were in pretty rough shape, so he bought new 2 3/4″ thick treated pine boards. He wanted thick boards to make a very sturdy bench. The sides were in great shape and had the lion head detail he really likes.

He took the bench completely apart then used the boards as a pattern to cut new ones, sanding all the edges smooth.

This bench had a metal brace down the center of the back and under the seat. He used it as a pattern to make 2 more for the next two benches he will make as they were only the cast iron sides.

He then attached the new boards to the sides with new carriage bolts.

It was time to torch it. 😳 He actually saw this burnt wood technique done on a Flea Market Flip episode. He used a propane torch, held it close to the wood and “watched it toast like a marshmallow,” as he described the process. Lol. This technique gives the piece a beautiful rustic look and really brings out the grain in the wood.

Here’s a video I found on YouTube showing the burnt wood technique:

https://youtu.be/ENOTocaMwxw

He could now prep then spray paint the sides and the brace black (covering the boards to protect them from overspray) and reattach the brace.

To really bring out the detail of the lion heads, he painted them a metallic silver.

This beautiful bench is very heavy and sturdy. It took both of us to lift it up into the wheelbarrow to move it. It is too heavy to carry far.

This vintage bench is better than new now and should provide some person lucky enough to buy it another lifetime of memories.

Yes, this beauty is for sale – $150.00! Correction. This beauty sold the day after he finished it.

Photos of some of the other benches he has refurbished:

This is the first bench he refurbished and sold.

This 2nd one was almost exactly like the first.

He painted this for one son’s birthday. Created a solid back on this one.

This one just needed painting. Staged with cutie patootie grandson. Bench belongs to his mom and dad.

This one needs more stenciling. His Alma Mater.